Leading eCommerce platform Amazon has launched its own brand of 3D printer filaments available for global sale and delivery.
While current wait time for the products is listed as 1 – 3 months, the move is interesting as the filaments are available in the AmazonBasics range – putting them in line with common household essentials such as batteries, HDMI cables and light-bulbs.
AmazonBasics 3D printer filament now available
Amazon branded filament is available as PETG, PLA and ABS plastics in a variety of colors. A single spool alone carries 1kg of material, and is made in standard 1.75 mm diameter.
The spool design includes a small window on the front, allowing the user to check how much material is left to work with. The material also comes packaged in a resealable storage bag to protect it from damage/contamination when not in use.
A single spool of AmazonBasics filament can be bought for $19.99, and a multipack of 5 is available for $79.99 (excluding shipping), about average prices for this amount of material.
3D printing at Amazon
The first commercial 3D printing activity at Amazon was announced in 2013, when the site launched its 3D Printers & Supplies store, selling consumer-grade machines, accessories and consumables, including filaments, from the likes of eSUN, BuildTak and 3D Prima.
Since then, the company’s quiet commitment to the technology has been gradually revealed through a number of research and development projects.
While the filaments may not be on par with an Amazon mobile 3D printing service, or a top-secret 3D printed drone lab, it has certainly got the community talking.
The search for a potential supplier
At present, AmazonBasics PETG 3D printer filament is listed with an average shipping date of 1 to 3 months. The other two types, PLA and ABS however are labeled “Temporarily out of stock.”
There are reviews on each of the materials. Some are from highly ranked reviewers, in the “Top 1000” on the site. Others are by members of Amazon’s invitation-only Vine Voice program that gives access to pre-release products in exchange for writing reviews.
Dates on these reviews suggests the product was only recently released, seemingly at the start of July 2018.
Acknowledged in the r/3Dprinting subreddit by Trochlea, rumors have also started circulating about the supplier behind Amazon brand filaments. Some users suggest Hatchbox or AMZ3D, two of the most popular filament brands listed on Amazon, as potential suppliers.
From Amazon itself, on the brand’s about page, all AmazonBasics products are said to be made in Taiwan and China.
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Featured image shows AmazonBasics 3D printer filament. Photo via Amazon
